ISIN at REACT 2026: the European exercise on medical countermeasures for radiological emergencies

REACT 2026 (Rapid European Action for Countermeasure Threats)—a tabletop exercise organized by the European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA)—took place in Brussels on September 30 and October 1. The National Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ISIN) participated as an active player, alongside a representative from the Ministry of Health.

The exercise brought together approximately 90 participants, including representatives from EU Member States, European Economic Area (EEA) countries and partners, Commission services, EU agencies and institutions, and international organizations such as the WHO. The scenario was entirely hypothetical, simulating a radiological incident with cross-border implications. The objective was to assess how the Commission and Member States would coordinate access to and the availability of medical countermeasures (MCMs)—such as medicines, diagnostic devices, decontamination equipment, and protective gear.

During plenary sessions and working groups, participants addressed various topics. These included the collection and exchange of information regarding needs, shortages, and available capacities; the use of European notification and data-exchange systems like ECURIE and EURDEP; and coordination across the health, civil protection, defense, and radiological safety sectors.

ISIN contributed the perspective of the national competent authority for nuclear safety and radiation protection to the discussion. Specifically, it outlined its role in notification and information exchange within the ECURIE framework, the provision of radioactivity monitoring network data to the EURDEP platform, and the technical support provided for assessing the radiological situation.